Monthly archives for February, 2020

From L-R: Lucas Managuelod, Bambol Tolentino, Ricky Vargas and Sonny Barrios. Photo by Marc ReyesPhilippine Olympic Committee presidential candidate Ricky Vargas could not say if “he has the numbers” because the voting national sports association leaders “fear coming out.”On Monday, the Association of Boxing Alliances of the Philippine president filed his candidacy at the POC offices with a full lineup under his banner.ADVERTISEMENT Sports Related Videospowered by AdSparcRead Next Ginebra teammates show love for Slaughter Back on top and how Brad Pitt wins his first acting Oscar as awards get underway BREAKING: Solicitor General asks SC to forfeit ABS CBN’s franchise Don’t miss out on the latest news and information. BREAKING: Solicitor General asks SC to forfeit ABS CBN’s franchise 30 Filipinos from Wuhan quarantined in Capas We are young Smart hosts first 5G-powered esports exhibition match in PH EDITORS’ PICK Cycling’s Bambol Tolentino is running for chair, badminton’s Albee Benitez for first vice president, muay thai’s Lucas Managuelod second vice president, basketball’s Sonny Barrios treasurer, and table tennis’ Ting Ledesma auditor.Vargas said they will “adopt as common candidates” five of the seven NSAs who filed for candidacy for executive board positions in the Nov. 25 polls.FEATURED STORIESSPORTSGinebra teammates show love for SlaughterSPORTSWe are youngSPORTSCone plans to speak with Slaughter, agent“The 12-year dispensation has caused them to fear coming out,” said Vargas during a breakfast caucus at Marco Polo Hotel in Ortigas. “We are now under that kind of a scenario.”He likened his showdown with three-term incumbent Jose “Peping” Cojuangco Jr., as a battle “between David and Goliath.” “David said I will go to battle with you, problem is Goliath is not allowing us to go to battle with him,” said Vargas.Vargas used the analogy after he was asked about an election provision barring him from running because he has not attended a POC General Assembly the past years.“If you look at that rule which is not even in the by-laws, only he (Cojuangco) and his group would qualify,” Vargas said: “Just allow an election. Just let us run. Let me run.” The Maynilad boss said he will resign from his job if the POC presidency requires it. ADVERTISEMENT MOST READ Mainland China virus cases exceed 40,000; deaths rise to 908 Team ‘Trabaho’ scores championship title at the last leg of Smart Siklab Saya Manila Chinese-manned vessel unsettles Bohol town Taiwan minister boards cruise ship turned away by Japan PLAY LIST 01:31Taiwan minister boards cruise ship turned away by Japan01:33WHO: ‘Global stocks of masks and respirators are now insufficient’01:01WHO: now 31,211 virus cases in China 102:02Vitamin C prevents but doesn’t cure diseases like coronavirus—medic03:07’HINDI PANG-SPORTS LANG!’03:03SILIP SA INTEL FUND View commentsread more

Smart’s Siklab Saya: A multi-city approach to esports Chinese-manned vessel unsettles Bohol town And he did so in spectacular fashion. A perfectly timed knee to the face was the beginning of the end for Aoki and the series of punches to the head were the finishing touches. Folayang pulled off the upset just 41 seconds into the third round in a fight where many didn’t even see him past the first round.READ: Worth the wait: Folayang cops ONE lightweight title, stops Aoki“Sweeter than honey,” said Folayang shortly after his victory with the ONE lightweight belt dangling over his left shoulder.“I know people don’t believe that I can make it especially since I’m facing a legend. They encourage me and say I can do it but deep inside they know I’m at a disadvantage against my opponent, but you should just keep on believing in yourself and that God is there to strengthen you.”Facing his greatest challenge yet, Folayang took down a legend and silenced his critics.ADVERTISEMENT As fate of VFA hangs, PH and US forces take to the skies for exercise Shanghai officials reveal novel coronavirus transmission modes 30 Filipinos from Wuhan quarantined in Capas Folayang was told he couldn’t do it. He started his Friday night a heavy underdog. But he ended it at the center of the cage, pumping his fists in the air and finally, a world champion.Sports Related Videospowered by AdSparcRead Next Eduard Folayang lands a kick to the body against Shinya Aoki during their title fight in the main even of ONE: Defending Honor Friday, Nov. 11, 2016, at Singapore Indoor Stadium in Kallang, Singapore. Folayang won the fight early in the third round to seize the lightweight title. Photo from ONE ChampionshipSome are underdogs, some are deemed to have no chance of winning at all.Eduard Folayang was written off long before the opening bell rang for his championship fight with Shinya Aoki.ADVERTISEMENT PH among economies most vulnerable to virus Rousey storms off stage after staredown with Nunes View comments EDITORS’ PICK We are young Don’t miss out on the latest news and information. Smart hosts first 5G-powered esports exhibition match in PH Mainland China virus cases exceed 40,000; deaths rise to 908 Where did they go? Millions left Wuhan before quarantine MOST READ It’s the Filipino star with a shaky ground game seeking his first world title against a Japanese legend and one of the best submission artists in the game. It was considered a mismatch.“I came into the championship fight with millions of people expecting me to lose in the first round,” Folayang said in Filipino. “But I didn’t think about it. I just want to make it a point that I will do whatever it takes that even if I end up losing the fight, I’m sure I’m going to be at peace.”FEATURED STORIESSPORTSGinebra teammates show love for SlaughterSPORTSWe are youngSPORTSCone plans to speak with Slaughter, agentJust 22 seconds into the fight, Folayang was already in a position he couldn’t afford to be in — on his back and Aoki in control. Folayang was taken to the ground thrice in the first five minutes and his doubters suddenly looked like experts.But what was overlooked during that stretch was Folayang found his way out from a situation where only few escaped. Twice, he slithered out from under Aoki and he did it again in the second round. It was an indication that Folayang could survive but still, only he knew he could win it. Eduard Folayang: Discipline leads to longevity PLAY LIST 02:58Eduard Folayang: Discipline leads to longevity01:44One Championship Fire & Fury Open workout02:17Eduard Folayang hopes to leave lasting legacy01:31Taiwan minister boards cruise ship turned away by Japan01:33WHO: ‘Global stocks of masks and respirators are now insufficient’01:01WHO: now 31,211 virus cases in China 102:02Vitamin C prevents but doesn’t cure diseases like coronavirus—medic03:07’HINDI PANG-SPORTS LANG!’03:03SILIP SA INTEL FUNDread more

Sports Related Videospowered by AdSparcRead Next MOST READ EDITORS’ PICK Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.netUniversity of the East ended University of the Philippines’ campaign with an 80-67 rout in the UAAP Season 79 seniors’ basketball tournament Sunday at Smart Araneta Coliseum. The Fighting Maroons, who put up a fight for a Final Four spot late in the second round, fizzled out as they wrapped up their season with a 5-9 record while the Red Warriors improved to 3-10.ADVERTISEMENT 30 Filipinos from Wuhan quarantined in Capas Where did they go? Millions left Wuhan before quarantine Smart’s Siklab Saya: A multi-city approach to esports For the complete collegiate sports coverage including scores, schedules and stories, visit Inquirer Varsity. We are young McGregor KOs Alvarez to take second UFC belt As fate of VFA hangs, PH and US forces take to the skies for exercise Smart hosts first 5G-powered esports exhibition match in PH Mainland China virus cases exceed 40,000; deaths rise to 908 PH among economies most vulnerable to virus Pasaol also produced double-digit points finishing with 11 for the Red Warriors.Jett Manuel and Dave Moralde, who played their last game in a UP jersey, combined for 26 points and 13 rebounds for the Fighting Maroons. Chinese-manned vessel unsettles Bohol town Shanghai officials reveal novel coronavirus transmission modes Taiwan minister boards cruise ship turned away by Japan PLAY LIST 01:31Taiwan minister boards cruise ship turned away by Japan01:33WHO: ‘Global stocks of masks and respirators are now insufficient’01:01WHO: now 31,211 virus cases in China 102:02Vitamin C prevents but doesn’t cure diseases like coronavirus—medic03:07’HINDI PANG-SPORTS LANG!’03:03SILIP SA INTEL FUND UE went berserk midway through the game with a 17-2 run throughout the second and third quarters as Alvin Pasaol capped it off with a fastbreak layup to put the boards at 48-28 at the 8:14 mark of the penultimate period.Red Warriors head coach Derrick Pumaren said they wanted to end their Season 79 campaign in respectable fashion and he was satisfied with how his team played despite their poor record.FEATURED STORIESSPORTSGinebra teammates show love for SlaughterSPORTSWe are youngSPORTSCone plans to speak with Slaughter, agent“We really played to our full potential today, and even though UP made a run late we kept our poise,” said Pumaren whose team has the chance to take the seventh spot if they win against Far Eastern University on Wednesday. “The energy was there, we know that we played to our potential.”UE enjoyed a three-pronged offense courtesy of Philip Manalang, Renz Palma, and Bonbon Batiller who all had 14 points apiece. Don’t miss out on the latest news and information. View commentsread more

Conservation Solutions, Dry Forests, early warning, Fires, Forests, Mapping, Monitoring, Remote Sensing, satellite data, Sensors, Technology, Wildtech The Eastern and Southern Africa Fire Information System (ESAFIS), an online application developed in Kenya, uses MODIS satellite information to detect bush fires in eastern Africa.The freely available app maps and categorizes bush fires in near-real time and shows details of each fire , including the time it was detected, its location with respect to towns and protected areas, and its relative intensity.By providing an early fire warning system, the system helps forest management authorities respond to fires in their early stages and prioritize limited resources to fire hotspots. NYERI, Kenya – It took nine hours for Margaret Wanjugu and neighbors to put out a fire that razed Gathorongai forest near her home in central Kenya, in 2016. She would not like to go through such an experience again, and for a good reason.Not only did the mother of two nearly lose her herd of goats, which were grazing in the forest, but elephants escaping the fire raided her field of potato plants, leaving her without a harvest.“No help came from forest officers working here,” Wanjugu said. “We improvised and used twigs to put out the fire.”Margaret Wanjugu leading her herd of goats home from Gathorongai forest in central Kenya, where they were grazing. The forest is prone to unexpected fire outbreaks that threaten farmers and wildlife alike. Image by David Njagi for Mongabay.Like thousands of farmers living near conservation areas in Kenya, Wanjugu lives in fear of Gathorongai forest catching fire. These communities lack an early warning system, relying on crude methods, like seeing smoke, to know of a fire outbreak.Recently, a technology developed by the Regional Center for Mapping of Resources for Development (RCMRD), a government agency based in Nairobi, has begun helping troubled Kenyans like Wanjugu with early detection of bush fires in conservation areas.RCMRD’s Eastern and Southern Africa Fire Information System (ESAFIS) web application is a free and open-source service used in all conservation and protected areas in Kenya and 10 other eastern African countries.Detecting fire intensityThe ESAFIS system senses fire outbreaks using the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectro-radiometer (MODIS) satellite at RCMRD, according to Byron Anangwe, the business development officer there.“When we get high temperature values at any particular point, we estimate that as a fire,” Anangwe said. “We mostly target game reserves and forests.”The system then posts this information on its website for users, including Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS) and Kenya Forest Service (KFS), to access. These institutions can then engage communities to prevent its spread, says Anangwe. Any individual with internet access can also use the service by visiting the website.Screenshot of the ESAFIS home page map with icons designating fire hotspots across eastern Africa. Image by Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development (RCMRD).“We are experts at the science,” Anangwe said, “and so our role is to empower national governments, communities and the private sector to prevent fire outbreaks in national reserves and protected areas.”Anangwe says the ability of ESAFIS to show details of each fire point has helped foresters better contain bush fires. For instance, in January 2017, at the height of a prolonged drought, ESAFIS helped to detect and track fire outbreaks at the Aberdare Forest Reserve.The website opens with a map that shows recent fire hotspots detected by the system in eastern Africa, categorizing them from low to extreme intensity. At the time of filing this story, for instance, the app showed a fire outbreak around the Lake Turkana region in northwestern Kenya.Clicking on a fire icon on the map causes a pop-up to appear with the time the fire was detected, its temperature (in Kelvin, subtract 273 degrees to get Celsius!), and its location. It also identifies the nearest towns and protected areas, , in this case the South Turkana National Reserve and Nasolot National Reserve, as well as the towns of Lokichar and Kaputirr.A pop-up menu describing the fire in northwestern Kenya, near Lake Turkana, shows several characteristics of the fire obtained from MODIS satellite data. Image obtained from ESAFIS website.Anangwe says ESAFIS produces high-resolution images and has an accuracy range of about two kilometers in the areas under investigation. Users can subscribe to the ESAFIS web app and receive real-time alerts of fire outbreaks in their country or conservation area of interest as soon as the data is captured by satellite, he adds.“Everything about the system is informed by data gathered using satellite surveillance,” Anangwe said, adding that the service must work with communities for it to be effective in fighting bush fires. One limitation is the map-heavy app may overburden slower rural internet networks.Importance of early detectionWanjugu had not heard about ESAFIS. At her village, residents often rely on word of mouth to pass information about the safety of lands around Gathorongai forest, which often arrives too late to prevent the spread of fire within such marginalized communities.A wide angle view of the leeward side of the Mt. Kenya forest ecosystem. Fire outbreaks on this side of the mountain are common due to prolonged dry spells. Image by David Njagi for Mongabay.But David Mwanzia has. Mwanzia is the ecosystem conservation manager at KFS’s Nyeri Forest station in central Kenya. A no-smoking sign at the entrance to his office alerts a visitor of the danger reckless disposal of cigarette butts can pose to the fragile ecosystem there. But a fire engine truck parked at the compound assures visitors that his team of foresters are aware and ready to battle bush fires.“Fire outbreaks here are very common,” said Mwanzia. “They are very dangerous, but my team is always on alert to prevent their spread.”Mwanzia says the December to January season is the most prone to fire outbreaks there, but ESAFIS’ early sensing is helping his teams respond more effectively.“Our staff do not go on leave at this time of the year,” Mwanzia said. “They are positioned to take immediate action when we receive a fire outbreak alert.”What causes the fires in the first place?Wanjugu said the Gathorongai forest fire ignited after a burning cigarette butt was recklessly thrown on the forest floor.Farmers burning farm waste in preparation of the planting season in central Kenya. When left unchecked such fires can spread into forests and raze acres of the natural ecosystem. Image by David Njagi for Mongabay.Stephen Korinko of the Kimana Conservancy in southern Kenya says local communities, and their slash and burn system of agriculture in particular, are to blame for most fire outbreaks. With this system, says Korinko, pastoralists set bushes on fire just before the rainy season to clear the aging vegetation so that when it rains, fresh fodder can sprout.For instance, he said, a fire that razed hundreds of acres along the wildebeest migratory corridor in the Serengeti in July 2018 was linked to the slash and burn system.Additional dangers of bush fires“The fires can spread to uncontrollable levels, especially when there are strong winds,” Korinko said. “Displaced wild animals often attack and kill people’s livestock, leading to a lot of tensions.”Wildfires also pump carbon into the atmosphere, contributing to climate change, says David Ngugi, a retired professor based in Nairobi. According to Ngugi, fires destroy trees that absorb carbon from the atmosphere and lead to the extinction of some tree species which might not be able to grow back once they are burned.“Fires also cause landscapes and ecosystems to change from forests to grasslands and shrubs,” Ngugi said.Members of the Atiriri Bururi Ma Chuka community conservation group from central Kenya showing some of the indigenous tree species that are continuously threatened by fire outbreaks. Image by David Njagi.Not all bush fires are bad, however, especially those that do not burn too long, says Mbeo Ogeya, a researcher at the Stockholm Environmental Institute (SEI). Bush fires, Ogeya says, are a natural process – nature’s way of removing dying or dead material from habitats. This process allows valuable nutrients to return to the soil, enabling regeneration and a new beginning for plants and animals.Ogeya says that ESAFIS can assist conservation work because it can distinguish between less intense, potentially useful, bush fires and extremely intense bush fires that are more harmful. By sensing fires in their early stages, ESAFIS can help resource managers respond appropriately, according to KWS spokesman Paul Gathitu.It also reduces the cost of hiring personnel to scout for fire outbreaks, adds Mwanzia, the KFS officer. At the Aberdare Forest Reserve, Mwanzia has had to hire and deploy rangers to patrol the forest and report back immediately once they spot a suspicious fire threat. The skills of these rangers could otherwise be applied to reforestation, guarding the reserve against illegal logging, or other activities. But the continued threat of fire outbreaks pressures him to allocate more resources to these patrols because fires are more destructive than logging, he says.“The government and public are giving a lot of attention to logging and neglecting bush fires,” Mwanzia said. “Yet a single fire outbreak can clear hundreds of acres of forest and can take a week to put out.”no smoking sign at the ecosystem conservation offices in Nyeri central Kenya warns a visitor that the threat of fire outbreaks is real. The office serves as a deployment base to fight off fire outbreaks Aberdare Forest Reserve. Image by David Njagi for Mongabay.He adds the Aberdare region is on high alert from December 2018 to February 2019 because this is the peak period of fire outbreaks, but that ESAFIS is making these threats easier to manage.However, not all conservation staff are aware of ESAFIS. Julius Lokinyi, a ranger at the Samburu National Reserve, still relies on scouting and patrols to ensure the safety of that ecosystem. In 2013, Lokinyi stopped being a poacher in 2013 and has dedicated himself to conservation. He says bush fires are a big challenge there and are often ignited by poachers to distract rangers from their (poachers’) trail.Over time, Lokinyi and his team of community volunteers have learned to turn this diversion into an opportunity, enabling them to tackle the twin threats of fires and poaching with precision.“When the poachers light a fire at a particular location, we know they will be active at a site which is the opposite direction to our patrol sites,” Lokinyi said. “So we deploy two teams, one to put out the fire and the other to track the criminals.”He would like to make ESAFIS available to his team, adding that: “It can make our work easier and more fun.” Popular in the CommunitySponsoredSponsoredOrangutan found tortured and decapitated prompts Indonesia probeEMGIES17 Jan, 2018We will never know the full extent of what this poor Orangutan went through before he died, the same must be done to this evil perpetrator(s) they don’t deserve the air that they breathe this has truly upset me and I wonder for the future for these wonderful creatures. So called ‘Mankind’ has a lot to answer for we are the only ones ruining this world I prefer animals to humans any day of the week.What makes community ecotourism succeed? In Madagascar, location, location, locationScissors1dOther countries should also learn and try to incorporateWhy you should care about the current wave of mass extinctions (commentary)Processor1 DecAfter all, there is no infinite anything in the whole galaxy!Infinite stupidity, right here on earth.The wildlife trade threatens people and animals alike (commentary)Anchor3dUnfortunately I feel The Chinese have no compassion for any living animal. They are a cruel country that as we knowneatbeverything that moves and do not humanily kill these poor animals and insects. They have no health and safety on their markets and they then contract these diseases. Maybe its karma maybe they should look at the way they live and stop using animals for all there so called remedies. DisgustingConservationists welcome China’s wildlife trade banThobolo27 JanChina has consistently been the worlds worst, “ Face of Evil “ in regards our planets flora and fauna survival. In some ways, this is nature trying to fight back. This ban is great, but the rest of the world just cannot allow it to be temporary, because history has demonstrated that once this coronavirus passes, they will in all likelihood, simply revert to been the planets worst Ecco Terrorists. Let’s simply not allow this to happen! How and why they have been able to degrade this planets iconic species, rape the planets rivers, oceans and forests, with apparent impunity, is just mind boggling! Please no more.Probing rural poachers in Africa: Why do they poach?Carrot3dOne day I feel like animals will be more scarce, and I agree with one of my friends, they said that poaching will take over the world, but I also hope notUpset about Amazon fires last year? Focus on deforestation this year (commentary)Bullhorn4dLies and more leisSponsoredSponsoredCoke is again the biggest culprit behind plastic waste in the PhilippinesGrapes7 NovOnce again the article blames companies for the actions of individuals. It is individuals that buy these products, it is individuals that dispose of them improperly. If we want to change it, we have to change, not just create bad guys to blame.Brazilian response to Bolsonaro policies and Amazon fires growsCar4 SepThank you for this excellent report. I feel overwhelmed by the ecocidal intent of the Bolsonaro government in the name of ‘developing’ their ‘God-given’ resources.U.S. allocates first of $30M in grants for forest conservation in SumatraPlanet4dcarrot hella thick ;)Melting Arctic sea ice may be altering winds, weather at equator: studyleftylarry30 JanThe Arctic sea ice seems to be recovering this winter as per the last 10-12 years, good news.Malaysia has the world’s highest deforestation rate, reveals Google forest mapBone27 Sep, 2018Who you’re trying to fool with selective data revelation?You can’t hide the truth if you show historical deforestation for all countries, especially in Europe from 1800s to this day. WorldBank has a good wholesome data on this.Mass tree planting along India’s Cauvery River has scientists worriedSurendra Nekkanti23 JanHi Mongabay. Good effort trying to be objective in this article. I would like to give a constructive feedback which could help in clearing things up.1. It is mentioned that planting trees in village common lands will have negative affects socially and ecologically. There is no need to even have to agree or disagree with it, because, you also mentioned the fact that Cauvery Calling aims to plant trees only in the private lands of the farmers. So, plantation in the common lands doesn’t come into the picture.2.I don’t see that the ecologists are totally against this project, but just they they have some concerns, mainly in terms of what species of trees will be planted. And because there was no direct communication between the ecologists and Isha Foundation, it was not possible for them to address the concerns. As you seem to have spoken with an Isha spokesperson, if you could connect the concerned parties, it would be great, because I see that the ecologists are genuinely interested in making sure things are done the right way.May we all come together and make things happen.Rare Amazon bush dogs caught on camera in BoliviaCarrot1 Feba very good iniciative to be fallowed by the ranchers all overSponsored FEEDBACK: Use this form to send a message to the editor of this post. If you want to post a public comment, you can do that at the bottom of the page. Article published by Sue Palminteriread more

Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, Conservation Solutions, GPS, Mapping, Open-source, Plants, Research, Technology, Wildtech Article published by Sue Palminteri Popular in the CommunitySponsoredSponsoredOrangutan found tortured and decapitated prompts Indonesia probeEMGIES17 Jan, 2018We will never know the full extent of what this poor Orangutan went through before he died, the same must be done to this evil perpetrator(s) they don’t deserve the air that they breathe this has truly upset me and I wonder for the future for these wonderful creatures. So called ‘Mankind’ has a lot to answer for we are the only ones ruining this world I prefer animals to humans any day of the week.What makes community ecotourism succeed? In Madagascar, location, location, locationScissors1dOther countries should also learn and try to incorporateWhy you should care about the current wave of mass extinctions (commentary)Processor1 DecAfter all, there is no infinite anything in the whole galaxy!Infinite stupidity, right here on earth.The wildlife trade threatens people and animals alike (commentary)Anchor3dUnfortunately I feel The Chinese have no compassion for any living animal. They are a cruel country that as we knowneatbeverything that moves and do not humanily kill these poor animals and insects. They have no health and safety on their markets and they then contract these diseases. Maybe its karma maybe they should look at the way they live and stop using animals for all there so called remedies. DisgustingConservationists welcome China’s wildlife trade banThobolo27 JanChina has consistently been the worlds worst, “ Face of Evil “ in regards our planets flora and fauna survival. In some ways, this is nature trying to fight back. This ban is great, but the rest of the world just cannot allow it to be temporary, because history has demonstrated that once this coronavirus passes, they will in all likelihood, simply revert to been the planets worst Ecco Terrorists. Let’s simply not allow this to happen! How and why they have been able to degrade this planets iconic species, rape the planets rivers, oceans and forests, with apparent impunity, is just mind boggling! Please no more.Probing rural poachers in Africa: Why do they poach?Carrot3dOne day I feel like animals will be more scarce, and I agree with one of my friends, they said that poaching will take over the world, but I also hope notUpset about Amazon fires last year? Focus on deforestation this year (commentary)Bullhorn4dLies and more leisSponsoredSponsoredCoke is again the biggest culprit behind plastic waste in the PhilippinesGrapes7 NovOnce again the article blames companies for the actions of individuals. It is individuals that buy these products, it is individuals that dispose of them improperly. If we want to change it, we have to change, not just create bad guys to blame.Brazilian response to Bolsonaro policies and Amazon fires growsCar4 SepThank you for this excellent report. I feel overwhelmed by the ecocidal intent of the Bolsonaro government in the name of ‘developing’ their ‘God-given’ resources.U.S. allocates first of $30M in grants for forest conservation in SumatraPlanet4dcarrot hella thick ;)Melting Arctic sea ice may be altering winds, weather at equator: studyleftylarry30 JanThe Arctic sea ice seems to be recovering this winter as per the last 10-12 years, good news.Malaysia has the world’s highest deforestation rate, reveals Google forest mapBone27 Sep, 2018Who you’re trying to fool with selective data revelation?You can’t hide the truth if you show historical deforestation for all countries, especially in Europe from 1800s to this day. WorldBank has a good wholesome data on this.Mass tree planting along India’s Cauvery River has scientists worriedSurendra Nekkanti23 JanHi Mongabay. Good effort trying to be objective in this article. I would like to give a constructive feedback which could help in clearing things up.1. It is mentioned that planting trees in village common lands will have negative affects socially and ecologically. There is no need to even have to agree or disagree with it, because, you also mentioned the fact that Cauvery Calling aims to plant trees only in the private lands of the farmers. So, plantation in the common lands doesn’t come into the picture.2.I don’t see that the ecologists are totally against this project, but just they they have some concerns, mainly in terms of what species of trees will be planted. And because there was no direct communication between the ecologists and Isha Foundation, it was not possible for them to address the concerns. As you seem to have spoken with an Isha spokesperson, if you could connect the concerned parties, it would be great, because I see that the ecologists are genuinely interested in making sure things are done the right way.May we all come together and make things happen.Rare Amazon bush dogs caught on camera in BoliviaCarrot1 Feba very good iniciative to be fallowed by the ranchers all overSponsored In a first global plant conservation assessment, a multi-institutional research team used the power of open-access databases and machine learning to predict the conservation status of more than 150,000 plants.They paired geographic, environmental, climatic, and morphological trait information of plant species of known risk of extinction from the IUCN Red List with information on plants of unknown risk in a machine learning model. The model calculated the likelihood that a given unassessed plant species was actually at risk of extinction and identified the variables that best predicted conservation risk.More than 15,000 of the species–roughly 10 percent of the total assessed by the team—had characteristics similar to those already categorized as at least near-threatened by IUCN and thus at a high likelihood of extinction.The protocol could provide a first cut in identifying unassessed species likely at risk of extinction and suggest how to allocate scarce conservation resources. If you know the animals in your neighborhood but not the plants, you’re not alone.Scientists have documented nearly 400,000 plant species and expect to identify many more. But unlike well-known endangered animals, such as elephants, tigers, and parrots, we don’t currently understand the conservation status of more than 90 percent of the world’s plant species. Plant growth and communities drive the ecosystems, food chains, and agriculture on every continent, yet we don’t know the conditions that what causes them to thrive or disappear.Unique desert plants, as well as giant redwood trees, help make California a region of globally high plant diversity. Image by Sue Palminteri/Mongabay.Understanding how threatened a specific plant species is requires broad information on where it lives and what it looks like. But finding plants in the wild to determine where they are and where they aren’t requires time, money, and expertise.A multi-institutional research team used the power of open-access databases and machine learning to predict the conservation status of more than 150,000 plants. In their study published last month in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the team tested whether their machine learning algorithm could track patterns in plant locations, climatic patterns, habitat features, and morphologies – their form and structure – and use that information to identify species that were likely at risk of extinction.“There is an urgent need for more efficient methods of identifying at-risk species,” the authors said in their paper. “To meet this need, we developed and evaluated a predictive protocol that permits a rapid initial assessment of conservation status for understudied plant taxa.”“The basic habitat that all species rely on”As humans convert grasslands, forests, and even deserts to food crops, plantations, and grasses for livestock, populations of native plants diminish, and species disappear. Scientists estimate that more than 20 percent of all (land) plant species are likely threatened with extinction. But this figure is still a guess.The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)’s Red List of Threatened Species, which inventories threatened species and serves as a tool to prioritize species for conservation action, has so far assessed less than 10 percent of the more than 390,000 recognized plant species. As comparison, it has assessed all recognized bird and mammal species.“Plants form the basic habitat that all species rely on, so it made sense to start with plants,” co-author Bryan Carstens, a professor of evolution, ecology and organismal biology at Ohio State University, said in a statement. “A lot of times in conservation, people focus on big, charismatic animals, but it’s actually habitat that matters. We can protect all the lions, tigers and elephants we want, but they have to have a place to live in.”Flowers from southwestern Australia, a plant diversity and endemism hotspot. Image by Sue Palminteri/Mongabay.The Red List assesses species’ likelihood of extinction and uses specific criteria to categorize them as of Least Concern, Near Threatened, Vulnerable, Endangered, Critically Endangered, Extinct in the Wild, and Extinct. Data Deficient species are potentially at risk but are too poorly studied to be categorized.Scientists consider these IUCN Red List categories in setting conservation priorities and conducting environmental impact assessments used by industry. However, evaluating the conservation status of each additional species takes time and money, as well as expertise, resulting in many species with a high risk of extinction not being listed.Plants typically receive less attention and support than large charismatic big cats and colorful birds, despite their importance to agriculture and ecosystems and their particular sensitivity to loss of habitat.“Not having plants in those analyses means that people are working with incomplete datasets,” Anne Frances, a botanist who coordinates Red List efforts in North America, told Wired. “We’re determining key biodiversity areas without a big chunk of the biodiversity being taken into account.”Scientists expect the loss of plant species, due to direct elimination or climate change, will lead to bottom-up cascading losses of the animals that depend on them.Scientists succeed in describing roughly 2,000 new plant species every year, according to the “State of the World’s Plants” report, which just intensifies the problem of assessing their conservation status.Random forests for plantsThe researchers wanted to find a way to use new data processing technology to speed up the assessment process and make it more cost-effective.They compiled open-source data collected by scientists over decades from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) and the TRY Plant Trait Database on the location, climate, environment, and appearance of 150,000 plants from across the world. These represent the nearly 95 percent of plant species in the GBIF for which we have data but have never been evaluated on by IUCN Red List.The huge data base included observations of plants for which location coordinates were available in the GBIF but which had not yet been assessed by the IUCN Red List.Many plants make their home in a prairie and adjacent tree hammock in the background in Kissimmee, Florida. Image by Sue Palminteri/Mongabay.The researchers built a machine learning model to determine the traits associated with different levels (categories) of extinction risk, using the relatively small number of plant species already categorized by the IUCN Red List (so their conservation status was known) to “train” it. They then applied the model to predict the extinction risk of the 150,000 unassessed species, for which risk was unknown.The researchers built their model using the Random Forest (RF) technique (perfectly named for plant assessments!). RF is a supervised machine learning algorithm, meaning it must be taught relationships between object attributes and outcomes; once it understands the relationships, it can predict outcomes using new input data.In the case of plants, the model tested whether a given attribute — such as the plant’s latitude or longitude; elevation; soil type; rainfall; temperature; or distance from a road, town, or protected area — was associated with plants that were endangered. Based on the outcome (how endangered is the plant?), the researchers could decide which characteristics best predicted a plant’s risk of disappearing.By comparing characteristics of the IUCN Red Listed plants having a known risk of extinction with characteristics of plants of unknown risk, the model calculated the likelihood that a given uncategorized plant species was actually at risk of extinction and thus in need of more in-depth evaluation. It also identified the variables that are the most important in predicting conservation risk.Thousands of species at riskThe model indicated that more than 15,000 unlisted species, roughly 10 percent of those in the analysis, were at some risk of extinction and thus of conservation concern.Globally, spatial characteristics, such as the size and extent of latitude in the species’ range, were better predictors of extinction risk than climatic or morphological ones, such as height or woodiness. Species with smaller ranges, for example, typically have smaller populations, which are more likely to go extinct than larger ones. Nevertheless, no one single global variable predicted conservation status.Southwestern Madagasar’s spiny forest supports a variety of endemic plants. Image by Sue Palminteri/Mongabay.The researchers used the results to identify areas with large numbers of at-risk plant species and suggested tools to help conserve these areas. For each observation in the analysis, they related the plant’s probability of being at some risk of extinction with its GPS coordinates. They calculated the average probability of risk for all GPS coordinates within each cell of a 1° × 1° grid covering the world and gave each cell a risk value.Mapping the plant data revealed several major geographical trends in their model’s predictions. At-risk plant species tended to cluster in regions already known for their high plant diversity, including California, Central America, Madagascar, the southeastern U.S. and southwestern Australia. Several of these also harbor many endemic species, those that naturally occur nowhere else.It also identified a few lesser-known areas for biodiversity, such as Tasmania and the coastal fog desert of the southern Arabian Peninsula. According to According to co-author Anahí Espíndola, an assistant professor at the University of Maryland, some of the most imperiled regions have received very limited attention, but the new method could help identify regions and species in need of further study.The map shows predicted levels of extinction risk to more than 150,000 plant species. Warmer colors denote areas with larger numbers of potentially at-risk species, while cooler colors denote areas with low overall predicted risk. To inform conservation on a global scale, the researchers associated the probability of plants in the analysis being at some risk of extinction with their GPS coordinates. They calculated the average probability of risk for all GPS coordinates within each cell of a 1° × 1° grid covering the world. Image by Tara Pelletier and Anahí Espíndola.In a statement, Espíndola said that the machine learning predictions couldn’t replace formal assessments from on-the-ground observations but could help identify at-risk species and regions for more in-depth study.“This isn’t a substitute for more-detailed assessments,” Carsten echoed in a statement, “but it’s a first pass that might help identify species that should be prioritized and where people should focus their attention.”“When I first started thinking about this project, I suspected that many regions with high diversity would be well-studied and protected,” Espíndola said. “But we found the opposite to be true.”The researchers hope the model will help target limited resources for habitat protection. And the map can assist future researchers in locating regions needing conservation efforts by pairing GPS coordinates with map’s risk probabilities.“The model can be adapted for use at any geographic scale,” Espíndola said. “Everything we’ve done is 100 percent open access, highlighting the power of publicly-available data. We hope people will use our model–and we hope they point out errors and help us fix them, to make it better.”CitationPelletier, T. A., Carstens, B. C., Tank, D. C., Sullivan, J., & Espíndola, A. (2018). Predicting plant conservation priorities on a global scale. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 115(51), 13027-13032.FEEDBACK: Use this form to send a message to the editor of this post. If you want to post a public comment, you can do that at the bottom of the page.read more

Article published by Mike Gaworecki Conventional wisdom holds that marine protected areas don’t offer much in the way of protections to highly migratory species of marine life, given that those species are unaware of the imaginary borders humans draw on maps to delineate such areas.New research finds that, to the contrary, large MPAs can confer benefits on migratory marine species — but only when they are carefully designed, strictly enforced, and integrated with sustainable fisheries management.The study, published last month in the journal Marine Policy, explores whether or not there are any benefits of “targeted spatial protection” measures, including large-scale fisheries closures and marine protected areas (MPAs), for highly migratory species like billfishes (such as swordfish and marlins), pelagic sharks (such as blue, great white, mako, silky, and thresher sharks), and tuna — and highlights ways that spatial protection for migratory pelagic species can be improved. Conventional wisdom holds that marine protected areas don’t offer much in the way of protections to highly migratory species of marine life, given that those species are unaware of the imaginary borders humans draw on maps to delineate such areas. New research finds that, to the contrary, large MPAs can confer benefits on migratory marine species — but only when they are carefully designed, strictly enforced, and integrated with sustainable fisheries management.The study, published last month in the journal Marine Policy, explores whether or not there are any benefits of “targeted spatial protection” measures, including large-scale fisheries closures and marine protected areas (MPAs), for highly migratory species like billfishes (such as swordfish and marlins), pelagic sharks (such as blue, great white, mako, silky, and thresher sharks), and tuna — and highlights ways that spatial protection for migratory pelagic species can be improved.“It is a fairly common belief that protection fixed in space cannot benefit highly migratory species,” Dr. Kristina Boerder of Canada’s Dalhousie University, lead author of the study, said in a statement. “However, if spatial closures such as marine protected areas or fisheries closures are strategically placed and complemented by adapted fisheries management, even those who wander thousands of miles can benefit.”All of the species included in the study “are highly mobile, undertake long-distance horizontal movements through the pelagic environment, are currently exploited by commercial fisheries, and are collectively managed” through the 18 Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs) that exist around the globe, according to the study. “Ecological and economic benefits from spatial protection have been demonstrated for many reef and demersal species, but remain debated and understudied for highly migratory fishes, such as tunas, billfishes, and pelagic sharks,” Boerder and co-authors write in the study.Many large pelagic species are of high commercial value, but their long life spans and the higher ages at which they reach maturity makes them particularly vulnerable to overexploitation by fishing fleets. A number of populations of large tuna species, for instance, have declined by 10 to 25 percent of their original spawning biomass, according to the study. Some species, such as Pacific bluefin tuna, have populations facing “extreme depletion” of more than 95 percent.In response to these declines and the conservation targets adopted under multilateral international agreements like the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS), the amount of ocean area placed under some form of spatial protection has increased dramatically over the last two decades.Skipjack tuna in a Philippine fish market. Photo via Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.“According to our analysis, unilaterally established MPAs and RFMO fishery closures targeting large pelagic fishes now cover nearly 15% of global ocean surface, in approximately equal proportions,” Boerder and colleagues write. At the start of 2019, about 7.6 percent of Earth’s ocean surface area was covered by MPAs. Seasonal and permanent fisheries closures covered another 7.4 percent. “This means that collectively more than 50 million [square kilometers] of ocean area are under some spatial management that could potentially benefit large pelagic fish stocks.”Boerder and team consulted peer-reviewed and grey literature in order to determine the suitability of highly migratory species for these types of spatial protections. “Multiple modeling studies have suggested that highly mobile fish stocks within a system that includes closed areas appear more resilient to collapse, and fisheries yields are higher over time, when contrasted with a scenario that lacks spatial protection,” the researchers found. “These benefits are predicted to be especially pronounced where fishing mortality is difficult to control, [Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU)] fishing prevails, or fisheries are mismanaged,” they write.While closed areas and MPAs can serve as buffers against overexploitation, the authors of the study determined that all species are not equally suited for spatial protection, “mainly due to variation in their distribution and behavior, including philopatric behavior and site fidelity, migration along fixed pathways, and aggregation for spawning.”Philopatry, the tendency of members of a species to repeatedly return to specific areas throughout their life cycles, is one of the most important characteristics in determining which species will benefit from spatial protection, the researchers found. In other words, species whose movement and aggregation habits are predictable in space and time benefit the most from spatial protections. For instance, Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) return to the same spawning and feeding grounds every year using well-known migratory routes. “For predictablecases like these, ‘targeted’ closures such as a closure in the Gulf of Mexico for Atlantic bluefin tuna, may be effective in protecting vulnerable life stages in defined areas such as spawning sites,” the researchers write.But that same strategy would not work as well for species like skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis) that do not routinely migrate to particular spawning or feeding grounds. “A modeling study of the Chagos MPA in the Western Indian Ocean demonstrated the importance of design and scale of spatial protection for such ‘unpredictable’ fish species,” according to the study. “This MPA was found to have little effect on skipjack tuna stocks due to strong seasonal variations of habitat conditions that drive stocks into and out of the MPA. In contrast, a much larger hypothetical fisheries closure covering large parts of favorable habitat for skipjack tuna was predicted to stabilize spawning stock biomass (SSB) and yield higher catches over a 20-year [timeframe] especially compared to a contrasting scenario without any closure.”The researchers say their findings bolster the call for protecting at least 30 percent of Earth’s oceans by 2030 through a network of MPAs and other effective conservation measures made by members of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in 2016.“This study will help us to better design large marine protected areas and understand under what conditions they will benefit large highly migratory species like sharks, turtles, and whales,” Angelo O’Connor Villagomez, senior officer with the Pew Bertarelli Ocean Legacy Project, said in a statement.Referencing a recent report issued by the U.N.’s Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, Villagomez added: “These species benefit most when we integrate well-designed and enforced marine protected areas with sustainable fisheries management. The recent UN Biodiversity report estimating that 1 million species are threatened with extinction strengthens the case for protecting 30 percent of every ocean habitat by 2030.”Pacific bluefin tuna at Kasai Rinkai Park, Tokyo, Japan. Photo via Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.1 JP.CITATION• Boerder, K., Schiller, L., & Worm, B. (2019). Not all who wander are lost: Improving spatial protection for large pelagic fishes. Marine Policy 105, 80-90. doi:10.1016/j.marpol.2019.04.013 Animals, Conservation, Environment, Fish, Fishing, Illegal Fishing, Marine Animals, Marine Biodiversity, Marine Conservation, Marine Protected Areas, Overfishing, Protected Areas, Research, Sharks, Tuna, Wildlife, Wildlife Conservation Popular in the CommunitySponsoredSponsoredOrangutan found tortured and decapitated prompts Indonesia probeEMGIES17 Jan, 2018We will never know the full extent of what this poor Orangutan went through before he died, the same must be done to this evil perpetrator(s) they don’t deserve the air that they breathe this has truly upset me and I wonder for the future for these wonderful creatures. So called ‘Mankind’ has a lot to answer for we are the only ones ruining this world I prefer animals to humans any day of the week.What makes community ecotourism succeed? In Madagascar, location, location, locationScissors1dOther countries should also learn and try to incorporateWhy you should care about the current wave of mass extinctions (commentary)Processor1 DecAfter all, there is no infinite anything in the whole galaxy!Infinite stupidity, right here on earth.The wildlife trade threatens people and animals alike (commentary)Anchor3dUnfortunately I feel The Chinese have no compassion for any living animal. They are a cruel country that as we knowneatbeverything that moves and do not humanily kill these poor animals and insects. They have no health and safety on their markets and they then contract these diseases. Maybe its karma maybe they should look at the way they live and stop using animals for all there so called remedies. DisgustingConservationists welcome China’s wildlife trade banThobolo27 JanChina has consistently been the worlds worst, “ Face of Evil “ in regards our planets flora and fauna survival. In some ways, this is nature trying to fight back. This ban is great, but the rest of the world just cannot allow it to be temporary, because history has demonstrated that once this coronavirus passes, they will in all likelihood, simply revert to been the planets worst Ecco Terrorists. Let’s simply not allow this to happen! How and why they have been able to degrade this planets iconic species, rape the planets rivers, oceans and forests, with apparent impunity, is just mind boggling! Please no more.Probing rural poachers in Africa: Why do they poach?Carrot3dOne day I feel like animals will be more scarce, and I agree with one of my friends, they said that poaching will take over the world, but I also hope notUpset about Amazon fires last year? Focus on deforestation this year (commentary)Bullhorn4dLies and more leisSponsoredSponsoredCoke is again the biggest culprit behind plastic waste in the PhilippinesGrapes7 NovOnce again the article blames companies for the actions of individuals. It is individuals that buy these products, it is individuals that dispose of them improperly. If we want to change it, we have to change, not just create bad guys to blame.Brazilian response to Bolsonaro policies and Amazon fires growsCar4 SepThank you for this excellent report. I feel overwhelmed by the ecocidal intent of the Bolsonaro government in the name of ‘developing’ their ‘God-given’ resources.U.S. allocates first of $30M in grants for forest conservation in SumatraPlanet4dcarrot hella thick ;)Melting Arctic sea ice may be altering winds, weather at equator: studyleftylarry30 JanThe Arctic sea ice seems to be recovering this winter as per the last 10-12 years, good news.Malaysia has the world’s highest deforestation rate, reveals Google forest mapBone27 Sep, 2018Who you’re trying to fool with selective data revelation?You can’t hide the truth if you show historical deforestation for all countries, especially in Europe from 1800s to this day. WorldBank has a good wholesome data on this.Mass tree planting along India’s Cauvery River has scientists worriedSurendra Nekkanti23 JanHi Mongabay. Good effort trying to be objective in this article. I would like to give a constructive feedback which could help in clearing things up.1. It is mentioned that planting trees in village common lands will have negative affects socially and ecologically. There is no need to even have to agree or disagree with it, because, you also mentioned the fact that Cauvery Calling aims to plant trees only in the private lands of the farmers. So, plantation in the common lands doesn’t come into the picture.2.I don’t see that the ecologists are totally against this project, but just they they have some concerns, mainly in terms of what species of trees will be planted. And because there was no direct communication between the ecologists and Isha Foundation, it was not possible for them to address the concerns. As you seem to have spoken with an Isha spokesperson, if you could connect the concerned parties, it would be great, because I see that the ecologists are genuinely interested in making sure things are done the right way.May we all come together and make things happen.Rare Amazon bush dogs caught on camera in BoliviaCarrot1 Feba very good iniciative to be fallowed by the ranchers all overSponsoredread more